Chelsea legend Didier Drogba suffered a huge setback in his hopes of becoming the president of the Ivory Coast FA after he received zero votes from ex-players.
Out of the 14 members, 11 opted to go for Drogba’s rival and league chief Sory Diabate and three abstained.
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Drogba’s other opponent, Idriss Diallo – the current vice president – also got no backing during the vote, which was done through a video conference.
And the shock results are thought to have led to huge discussions in the Ivory Coast.
The 42-year-old was the heavy favourite ahead of the elections, helped by the fact that experienced administrator Eugene Diomande pulled out of the race and publicly supported the former national-team captain.
However, his dreams of leading his country’s FA are not completely shattered just yet.
The votes from the Active Footballers Association, coaches, referees and physios are yet to be cast.
Drogba spent nine years at Stamford Bridge, scoring 164 goals in 381 appearances across two spells.
He won four Premier Leagues, four FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League in memorable fashion
Also he played 105 times for the Ivory Coast, with a record 65 goals and featured at three FIFA World Cups in 2006, 2010 and 2014.
After spells with Montreal Impact and Phoenix Rising, Drogba retired in 2018.
Since then, he has continued to do plenty more of the charity work he started during his playing days, including opening a hospital in his hometown of Abidjan in 2016.
Drogba offered the hospital as a coronavirus treatment centre amid the rise of the pandemic, with 1,150 confirmed cases and 14 deaths.
Vincent Toh Bi Irie, the head of Abidjan’s regional council, thanked Drogba for the gesture.
He said: “We thank Drogba for this gift considered as an act of patriotism.”
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COMMENTS
as how? so even his wife and his party member cant vote him? i dont believe this
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Wow. No vote for Drogba from ex players? Not even one? I’m shell shocked.
Let’s see how the cookie crumbles as the other stakeholders are yet to cast their votes. Perhaps he will prove to be more popular with them.
Reading is fundamental. Nigeria and shortcut to the answer
Voting by vide conference in Africa? How credible is this election?
Reflecting on what Drogba stands for, and what he has done for his country as a whole, I don’t think he’d suffer such rejection.
What a bunch of ingrate this ivorians are.
Real ingrates they are.
Is it all about what he’s done for his country’s football and country in general or a question of having the administrative experience, prerequisite experience and capacity to man that position successfully? The act of Administration in any sphere is way different from football experience. I believe, they were being objective and realistic with their vote whilst putting sentiments aside. It’s surprising to us bcos if it were here in nigeria, he would have gotten the job immediately bcs of what and what he has done for the country (sentiments) even though he lacked the prerequisite experience and qualifications butThey are not sentimental like Nigerians, they do that things objectively without sentiments. They are result oriented people who want the best for their football. I think we need to learn from them.
Honestly @oakfield, politics at any level is a game of loyalty and betrayal. The only thing we should learn from this is never to be so blinded by jealousy and ungratefulness to the point where we are afraid that progress might be made. This whole thing is a slippery slope, Drogba may not have admiistrative experience but he has heart and passion to improve Ivorian football which has obviously been in decline over the last few years. And of course, that he spent many years observing their football as a recently retired player and as a captain puts him in position to make instantaneous impact. I hope our football politics never deteriorates to this level.